Birthday special: 50 unknown facts about Shah Rukh Khan

New Delhi: He’s a perfect husband, a loving father, a caring brother and “King of hearts” Shah Rukh Khan. A middle class guy who followed his dreams is now ruling the glamour world with his talent. Shah Rukh is such an inspiration for all of us. Today, as Shah Rukh is celebrating his 50th birthday, we bring you some of his unknown facts that will help you know the superstar more closely.

1. Shah Rukh Khan’s actual name is Abdul Rahman. The actor once admitted that it was his ‘nani’ who named him.

2. We all know that Shah Rukh is from Delhi, but he has spent his childhood in Bangalore, where his grandfather would work as a chief engineer.

3. When SRK was young he was adopted by his grandmother who was keen to have a son. Till the age of 5-6 years, the actor stayed with his nani and after some years. He moved back with his parents.

4. Shah Rukh Khan's father was one of the youngest freedom fighters of India.

5. When SRK's father failed in his business, he ran a tea shop in National School of Drama in Delhi. It was when Shah Rukh Khan met many great theatre personalities and somehow got interested in acting.

6. Shah Rukh has often said he was very mischievous as a kid, but his father would always make it a point to punish him in ways which instilled values which he still treasures.

7. Once when he was just four or five years of age, he had thrown a rock at the neighbour’s son breaking one of the kid’s teeth. Later at night, the neighbor knocked on Shah Rukh Khan’s door in a very drunk state with a knife in one hand.

8. SRK loved sports when he was a child, and still does. He was the captain of football and hockey teams and also played cricket.

9. In school, his Hindi was very poor. His mother promised to take him for a movie if he passed his Hindi exams. Teenager SRK loved watching movies and began to score top marks in Hindi then onwards.

10. Shah Rukh's first salary was Rs 50 which he earned by working as an usherer at a Pankaj Udhas concert in Delhi in the early 80s. He used the money to take the train to Agra and see the Taj Mahal.

11. During his struggling days before he entered showbiz, Shah Rukh ran a restaurant in Dariya Ganj.

12. Shah Rukh loved watching television commercials and that was the prime reason why he took up Mass Communications (film making) at Jamia Milia University, Delhi.

13. When his college, Hans Raj, celebrated its golden jubilee (1998), the college gave away 17 shields to its alumni who had excelled in their lives, and Shah Rukh was one of them.

14. His favourite actor is Dilip Kumar, and his favourite actresses are Mumtaz and Saira Banu.

15. When Shah Rukh was doing serials like Fauji and Circus in Delhi, he got calls from Hema Malini and Harry Baweja for movie role. SRK politely declined those offer as he was not interested in doing movies.

16. The actor sold tickets at the booking window of a Mumbai theatre on the opening day of his 1994 film, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, directed by Kundan Shah. He was paid Rs 25,000 for that film.

17. His debut film was Dil Aashna Hai, but due to the delay in the release of the film, Deewana is considered to be his debut film.

18. Once SRK admitted that he always wanted to join the Indian Army. The actor confirms that although he went to an Army school, it was his mother who was not keen to send him in the Army.

19. Shah Rukh has a phobia of riding horses, and there is one weird thing that he never eats ice-creams.

20. Shah Rukh is very particular about his fashion and lifestyle. Known for having a classy sense of style, he prefers wearing black.

21. Shah Rukh signed five films back-to-back in one day before he started out his Bollywood career.

22. He received UNESCO’s pyramide con marni award for his charitable commitment to provide education for children, becoming the first Indian to win the accolade.

23. The adorable couple Shah Rukh and Gauri met for the first time when the latter was as young as 14, while former was a young lad of 18.

24. He has been a part of seven TV shows, including his TV debut, Fauji.

25. Aditya Chopra is SRK's best friend. He agreed to act in former’s debut film, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaenge (1995), without even looking at the script.